VISAKHAPATNAM: The Vizag police suspect that the 20-year-old ITI student whose ‘kidnapping’ has had the port city agog faked the whole thing to extract money from his parents.
While police officially said nothing, sources said the young man, G Manikanta, from Lakshmi Nagar of Gopalapatnam hatched the plan himself and enacted the entire episode with the help of some friends.
Manikanta left home Monday evening saying he was going to play a game, but did not return. On Tuesday morning, his sister got a call on her cellphone from the 'kidnappers' who claimed they had got a contract for Rs 10 lakh to kill Manikanta. But they would spare him if they were paid Rs 15 lakh.
"It was Manikanta who made his friends speak to his sister. In fact, he too spoke to his sister pleading for help," sources told New Indian Express.
Manikanta’s parents lodged a complaint with the police Tuesday evening and the Gopalapatnam police set up nine teams to trace the youngster.
Sources said the police have already traced the man and taken him into custody. But the police are yet to confirm it officially.